Chapter 49

The Fight

Azula's eyes narrowed as earth kingdom soldiers continued to flood forward keeping her from the hole she had blow in the wall of the palace. 'I'm running out of patience.'

"Apprehend her!" Men were shouting.

She ground her teeth in irritation. How had she not seen such an obvious invitation into the palace? Why was she fighting so desperately to get in when these fools would carry her in? A dangerous glint lit her eyes as she faked getting hit by a boulder. She gasped to sell the realism of her fall.

They didn't waste a second of this miraculous hit.

Azula smirked as she felt the harsh string of leather snap against her wrists and ankles. On either side of her stood earth nation soldiers holding whips that now encircled one of her pale wrists and thin ankles. The men yanked down on their weapons forcing her to her knees. She was surrounded in an instant.

'Azula!' Aang shouted as she disappeared from you.

'Don't worry, I'm letting myself be captured.' She reassured him.

'What? Why?' Aang frowned.

'It's the fastest way to get to Kawamura. You deal with these guys. I'll go straight to the palace.'

'By yourself, that's probably not a good idea.'

'I'm more than capable of taking care of myself. Trust me.'

Aang watched the struggling men who were now tugging Azula towards the palace and binding her wrists. She was doing a wonderful job of pretending to be fighting to free herself. 'She's right.' He thought to himself.

'Alright, be careful, let me know if you need us.' Aang responded.

- -

The reinforcements from Omashu were moving with remarkable speed. With some luck the royal party would be there in time to help their friends. This was both good and bad in Zuko's opinion. It was his duty to help fight in this war but he didn't want Katara anywhere near it. Yes, she was capable of taking care of herself but she was pregnant. She really shouldn't be fighting. He didn't want to point it out since he didn't want her to get angry but he couldn't not say something.

"Er…my lady…" Kaili's unsure voice drew Zuko out of his thoughts.

"I thought we were getting rid of the honorifics Kaili." Katara smiled.

"Sorry, force of habit." Kaili stated but Katara waved it off.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"I was just thinking that perhaps now would be a good time for you to observe my fighting style." Kaili said.

Katara's face creased into a confused frown. "Observe your fighting style?"

"Yes, it's probably good for you to…watch…instead of fight…so that you know what my skills are." Kaili suggested giving Katara a meaningful look.

"I can watch you and fight." Katara replied not understanding.

"I just don't think you should be fighting…in your condition…as Fire Lady, don't want to get your hands dirty, you know?" Kaili tried again.

Zuko had to hide his smirk. Apparently Kaili knew about the baby and had been thinking the same thing Zuko had been worrying about. 'Kaili still doesn't know I know.' Zuko surmised, figuring that had to be why the body guard wasn't just saying it flat out.

"I agree." Zuko said. "It's probably best you stay out of this one Katara. Flying boulders aren't really something you should be dealing with at this point in your lifetime."

Katara looked between Zuko and Kaili. It had caught up to her what they were talking about and though she didn't like it, they were right. She didn't want to bring any harm to her baby. With a sigh of defeat she nodded.

Zuko released a relived breath. He hadn't expected her to give in so easy. He looked at Kaili and felt a bit guilty for being so hostile towards the guy earlier. He clearly had his wife's best interests at heart as well.

- -

Mai and Ty Lee paced impatiently. It was difficult sitting around waiting for new. It was a feeling they both ought to be used to but neither could accept.

"Do you think Haru's okay?" Ty Lee asked.

"Momo hasn't arrived so everyone should be fine." Mai replied. She'd been repeating this statement for some time now but it wasn't really calming either girl. The craftiness of the Earth Kingdom has shocked them. In truth, this sort of cunning was only ever expected from the Fire Nation, specifically Azula. It was also a shock to realize they had fallen into this trap.

Mai had to grudging admit that the council had been right. Communication and the blending of cultures would be necessary if the three nations ever hoped to coexist peacefully.

- -

"Welcome back princess. You've been missed." Kawamura drawled as the girl was brought before him.

"Let's cut to the chase. I'm here to kill you." Azula smirked.

'Azula!' Aang's voice rang out.

She rolled her eyes. 'If you make it here to take away his bending before I kill him, he's yours. Otherwise, I see my actions as self defense. Now get out of my head, I need to focus.'

"I really don't have much time to toy with you." Azula sighed dramatically.

"You imagine you can defeat me. Look at you. The oh so powerful fire nation princess. You're pitiful." Kawamura sneered.

"I'm absolutely positive I can defeat you."

With a sharp yank, Azula caught one of her captors off guard, slackening the leather binding her arm and freeing the end from his hand. Slashing her arm back out, she made the whip snap back at him, hitting him in the head. Guards lunged for the flailing end but it was too late. She out matched them all for speed. Pivoting she brought herself close enough to the man who bound her other arm and slammed her elbow into his throat. He dropped the whip in his hands.

Sweeping her arms around herself in a circular motion she forced the men, who were rushing towards her, back by surrounding herself with a ring of fire.

"I suggest the rest of you get out of here." Azula snarled.

"You're far too cocky girl. You're unbelievably outnumbered." Hiromu taunted from behind Kawamura.

"And you're going to look ever so pitiful when you lose."

- -

Haru's hands shot upward raising a wall of defense around his friends. Toph punched the wall shattering it into thousands of little pieces shooting out like bullets in every direction. Earth Kingdom soldiers dropped to the ground trying to avoid being hit.

Suki tackled Sokka to the ground, saving her fiancé from having his head taken off by a rock disk that had been whirling at him.

"Thanks Suki, that was a close one." Sokka breathed.

"Much closer than I like, to tell you the truth." Suki agreed.

"When you two are done cuddling, we have a war to fight." Toph shouted as she surrounded herself with rock armor and charged forward. "Azula made us a hole now we need to get to it. Come on!"

"Right behind you." Haru called as he fought his way forward.

- -

"I think I see them." Katara grinned. "They seem to be okay."

"I'm sure they'll be much better once we get close enough to be helpful." Zuko said. "You stay back here with a few of the men in case you're spotted. The rest of us will go from here."

"Be careful." Katara advised, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"We'll be done in minutes. King Bumi will set the record straight. Right, Bu…" Zuko turned expecting King Bumi to still be with them but the older man was gliding forward on a huge slap of rock at great speeds. "Well I guess, I don't hurry up I'll miss all the fighting."

Katara nodded and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

"Be safe Kaili." She murmured, hugging her body guard and then waving as the two men ran to catch up with Bumi and the retinue of Omashu soldiers.

- -

"Hey! The cavalry has arrived!" Sokka shouted, seeing the dust cloud racing towards them.

"Took 'em long enough." Toph grinned.

"I'm going ahead to help Azula." Aang called out, leaping into the air and running on top of people's heads to reach the palace.

"Why didn't he do that earlier?" Sokka asked.

"Well he wasn't going to just abandon us." Suki said.

"Yeah, Azula can clearly take care of herself." Teo agreed pointing to the hole she had blasted in the wall.

"You have a point, indeed." Sokka nodded.